A GORSE Covert fitness enthusiast will dodge venomous scorpions and Sidewinder snakes when he takes part in a gruelling desert race in Africa next year.

Damian Hill, pictured, will certainly step on the gas when he crosses the baking sands of the Sahara during the Marathon des Sables in Morocco.

The 34-year-old, who lives with his wife Tammy in Ashdown Lane, is hoping to raise £10,000 for MENCAP, which helps children and adults with learning disabilities, and has already started training for the event next spring.

"I've never been to Morocco before - the closest I've been to Africa is Gibraltar!" he joked. "So I don't know what it's going to be like, but I've heard it can be up to 120 degrees and they get sandstorms!"

"But it's a really good cause helping people less fortunate than ourselves and I'm sure that will keep me going when it gets tough."

To get in shape Damian, who designs office partitions for a firm in Manchester, is doing as many marathons as he can in this country.

"I've just completed the Tring to Town' marathon which is 40 miles along the tow paths of the Grand Union Canal to London and had to have the next day off as my body was so sore!" he said.

"But I'm going to do it again this time next year before I do the Sables in March or April and it should be easier by then!"

"It's about getting the miles in your legs so to get used to running on sand I'm going to do some up at Formby beach and my friend's brother is in the RAF in Cyprus and has said I can spend a week there training in the heat."

The Marathon des Sables is a six-day, 151-mile event where competitors carry their own water and equipment, including anti-venom pumps, in case runners get bitten.

"I'm not worried too much about that," Damian says. "I'm looking forward to making friends - it's the sort of adventure that brings people together from all over the world."

To help Damian reach his fundraising target visit justgiving.com/damianhill